AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL NEWS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1851, 17 August 1893, Page 7

AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL NEWS.

Mr Perceval, Agent-general, has wired to the Government highly praising the qualifications of Mr Valentine, the newly appointed dairy expert, especially regarding cheese. Mr Valentine leaves immediately for the colony.

Mr J. D. Bertram, of Wellington, has invented a nailless horseshoe, and it is proposed to form a small syndicate or company to take up and work the patent. It is claimed that not only is the new shoe simplicity itself, but it is humane, and does not in any way injure the hoof or cause lameness, as is too often the case by the use of nails. Mr Bertram hopes to be able to visit Dunedin shortly. It is stated that many sheep are being killed in the Mount Cook district by ergot in the enowgrass, which is prevalent this year. "Bradstreeta " of June 16, in an article on the outlook of wheat prices, says :— " The question now arises whether it is likely that European importing countries will require as large or a larger importation of wheat, flour included, of course, from the United States during the next 12 months than last year. Recent European advices point to improving -prospects of fair average returns, although the outlook in general is not for a full outturn. It would seem, however, from best available returns that shortages where pronounced, are in the more conspicuous wheat exporting countries rather than in those which 1 are chiefly prominent as importers of that cereal. This would indicate that Europe with its present supply of wheat, together with that afloat for Europe, which aggregate is as large as it was last year, and is from 15,000,000 to 20,000,000 bushels larger than at like dates for several preceding years— that Europe, we repeat, in view of a very probable large export surplus of wheat from the United States in the next 12 months, nearly as large as that in the last 12 months— that Europe maybe able to buy as slowly as needed, and in such a manner as not to stimulate prices to the extent many in the trade here have faith to believe. Some of our esteemed contemporaries have seen fit to discuss the probabilities of a United States crop of wheat this year of only 435,000,000 bushels, which, together with the excess reserve to be carried over, would indicate an aggregate supply of only 500,000,000 bushels, and point to a grand total exportable surplus next year of only 135,000,000 or 145,000,000 bushels, small as compared with this year or last year. But while • Brad■atreetVlajsno claim to private or exclusive

information at this time, it fails to see a full justification for this view. And even were it true that our exportable surplus next year will be only 135,000,000 bushols, it would still be larger than the quantity available for movement abroad during any of the nine or ten years prior to last year." "Lathyrus silvestris" is receiving some attention at present, and consequently any experiences with its growth in the colony must be of interest. AMr Frank Courage, of Seadown, writing in the Christchurch Press, condemns it without compunction. He says : — " Some years ago I purchased for a guinea lib of this seed, gave some to my friends, and carefully sowed the remainder. It is said not to come to maturity till the third year. Mine was nearly two coming up. It grew vigorously enough in summer, but disappeared altogether in winter, when required as green food for stock. When offered to cattle, horses, and sheep they absolutely refused to look at it. So I had it dug up by the roots and burnt that another • noxiousweed'mightnotbeftddedtothe list by experimental farming." — Notwithstanding this correspondent's opinion the plant may have its use in some localities, and experiments made by Mr T. Waugh, corporation gardener, at Invercargill, tend to show that it will thrive in very dry and arid localities. According to the Southland News, the other day some roots were dug up at the corporation nursery for transplanting. They were found to have made their way, in two jears from sowing, to a depth of at least 3ft, and there can be no doubt that the filamentary extreme points could have^been traced much deeper. As the plant is known to laßt in the ground for fifty years or more, its ultimate reach in search of moisture and nutriment must be of indefinite length, or only limited by the permeability of the soil. It is this peculiarity that places it ahead of all other plants in cultivation in its drought resisting capacity. Once thoroughly established it remains productive where other fodder plants would be burnt up. Its chief drawback, perhaps, is (says the News) its unsuitability for pasturage purposes — sheep, for instance, damage it by eating into the crowns of the plants, while its great succulence and luxuriant habit of growth would cause much waste if grazed over by cattle. Where nts special usefulness comes in is as fodder for cattle, in or in the vicinity of towns — the plant bearing mowing three or more times in the season. The News further ga,ys : — "Against these merits is to be set the fact that locally in the Auckland provincial district — where the plant has been for some time grown on a small scale— horses and cattle do not seem to take kindly to the inviting looking fodder. This distaste may, however, be due to the fact that a taste for it has to be acquired like that for the turnip, which cattle

ascustomed to grass {are apt to sniff at until impelled by hunger to take the first bite. The reputation it bears in Germany as _a fodder plant is in fact evidence enough to show that this objection is not an insuperable one. As a sand-binding plant in situations that are not too much exposed the lupine (of which neither rabbits nor stock are over fond) has been already proved useful, and the spreading habit of th*Lathyrus should render it even more effective."

The Press of the 9th nays:— "On Tuesday at 4 a.m. a long special train of cattle waggons left the city railway station for Culverden. Arrived there 402 head of -the Tarndale cattle were trucked, filling 39 of the waggons. Owing to the wildnes3 of some of the animals there was some excitement over the loading up among 'the stockmen. The train was in charge of Mr Gray, inspector of traffic, and was drawn by one of the largest engines, which at the Waikari incline was assisted by the engine of the passenger train. The train reached Addington during the afternoon, and went on to Little River, where the cattle would be liberated on to the Messrs Hay's property during the evening." -

Sheep dog trials have (writes "Hodden Grey," in the Melbourne Weekly Times) formed a prominent feature at some agricultural shows and gatherings held during recent years. It is strange that the promoters of such trials should devise tests which are in many cases far more ornamental than useful. The tests are a mixture of driving and gathering. This is bad from a practical point of view, and it virtually restricts the competition to old dogs. Gathering forms the best test of a collie's intelligence, and few shepherds care to set a first-class young gathering dog to drive. Practical shepherds will bear the writer out when he says that many a young collie who shows much promise as a gatherer is spoiled by being put temporarily into the hands of someone who forces him to put the sheep right away for half a mile or more. This is proper work for a driving dog, one that has been trained for the purpose, or, in certain cases, an old gathering dog who has become' too stiff for his favourite work. The conventional show "driving" between flags, gathering between hurdles, and putting into an enclosure might be cut down to the latter. Given a 20 or 30 lot of hardy wethers from the hill, a field of fair size, and an enclosnre at one side of it ; then let the dog be put to a practical test, and let greatest smartness and least roughness win. • . The Kelso correspondent of the Tapanui Courier writes :— " I understand that Mr James Doake, the manager of Greenvale station^ has perfected a machine for laying down poison, which I believe is a great success. I under* stand that a small plough is attaohed to the

machine, which makes a single furrow, into which the poison is distributed, and one man and single horse can work the whole machine. I believe that poison is being put down in places where it was hardly possible to get the rabbits to take it before, and the ground is now being cleared of almost every rabbit. Of course I am not well posted up in this kind of business, but I am told it is the most successful method that has been tried on the station."

Dairy farmers are (writes " Thistledown," in the Australasian) asking themselves as never before, "Is it possible to feed cows any food that will increase the amount of butter fat in the milk?" Put such a question to the average dairyman, and he will say : " Well, I practically can. I can feed my cows certain grains and other rations which will increase the yield of butter fat." Now that statement looks reasonable, and would be supported by most people who have had experience in feeding cows for the production of butter, but it needs some qualification. In certain cases where the milk of a cow has been tested, it has been found very low in quality, and the owner has declared the animal to be no good, and that he would keep her no longer. But a cow should not be judged by one test. One day she may give 4 per cent, of butter fat, and another day she may give only 2£ per cent. There are two things which go to make up a good milking cow — first, the quantity of milk she gives ; and second, the quality. You may own a cow that averages only 3 per cent, of butter fat, and another that gives 5 per cent. ; but the latter does not yield more butter than the animal giving the smaller percentage, for that animal gives a larger quantity of milk. But while certain results of that character have been arrived at under certain lines of feeding, it would not be safe to say that under different conditions and with different cows widely different .results would not follow. The peculiarities of the animal and the character of her surroundings must be considered as well as the mere feeding when the quality of her milk is under consideration. Of last week's Addington market Thursday's Christchurch Press says : — " Business commenced with the yards in a rather unsatisfactory condition under foot. On the nor'wester springing up, however, they quickly dried, and were in first - rate * order for the remainder of the day. The entries were meagre, and as buyers showed a disinclination to operate sales were consequently dull. A small supply of store sheep was forwarded, the greater portion of which consisted of crossbred ewes and hoggets. Prices were hardly as firm as at last week's market, and a number was returned unsold. Some improvement was noticeable in the yard-

ing of store cattle, young 4tock baing particularly prominent. The demand for all sorts was much firmer than has been the case for some time, and indications point to sales in this department improving. The supply of, pigs forwarded was not equal to satisfying the demand. This was especially the case with baconers, the few yarded being snapped up at greatly improved rates. The presence of a Wellington buyer helped competition greatly. A meagre supply of fat cattle came under the hammer, the quality being rather uneven Values vr&iQ again high, and it was evident that a much larger entry was needed to satis'y the trade's requirements. The fat sheep pens were comfortably filled, but an absence of quality was again noticeable. Half fat crossbreds and merinos formed the bulk of the yarding, and this had a depressing effect on the sale of second-rate sheep. Prime sorts, on the other hand, came in for improved attention, and although the market fluctuated considerably the tone for really good sheep was firmer. Prominent amongst the fat sheep penned was a line of crossbred wethers sent forward by Mr S. A. Bristol, of South Canterbury. They were bred from merino ewes by EnglishLeicester rams, and although barely 19 months old were estimated to turn the scale at over 1001b. On being submitted to auction by Messrs J. T. Ford and Co., the sheep came in for animated competition, being sold at up to 25s a head."

Of agricultural matters at Lovell's Flat the local correspondent of the Bruce Herald writes:— " There is one consolation for all ; the late bad weather— the stock of it must surely be nearly exhausted, and it follows there is a good prospect of the lambing season, now again at hand, being fine during the critical time of the first month or six weeks. Last year it happened so after bad weather up to the last, and the deaths were remarkably low, and most of our farmers came out very satisfactorily indeed with their lambs. Of course this statement must be qualified by the extraordinary losses Buffered in several notable instances, referred to at the time, on account of the mysterious disease then rife. It is lamentable that the reasonable hope at present of a profitable season is damped by the likelihood of a recurrence of that trouble. That just reminds me that I have a hint to give which may prove useful and which I may as well state in time and will head it important! It will be remembered that when the Government Agricultural department sent experts here last year the officers could not obtain a case for investigation. I have every reason to know that should the trouble again show itself this year they would like to be mformed of it, and I am advised that if a eolleofc

telegram were sent to the stock inspector, Balclutha, the departmental veterinary authorities would soon be on the spot. Now that the Government have engaged from Home two highly eminent veterinary experts — one for the North and one for the South Island— an investigation would very probably mean a dissipation of the mystery surrounding the trouble, and enable a means of prevention to be devised. Individual farmers are asked to note the above— but would it not be a bad plan to form a vigilance committee?— The bird poison distributed by the county council is effectively answering its purpose in the district, by all acsounts. Still, worse luck, there will bean " efficient choir " left to sing " In this wheat by-and-bye."

(Continued on page M.)